Editors' Picks
Where Was the Birthplace of the American Vacation?
First in rustic tents and later in elaborate resorts, city dwellers took to the Adirondacks to explore the joys of the wilderness
The True-Life Horror that Inspired Moby-Dick
The whaler Essex was indeed sunk by a whale—and that's only the beginning
The Shocking Savagery of America’s Early History
Bernard Bailyn, one of our greatest historians, shines his light on the nation’s Dark Ages
Page 7 of 12
These editorial voices rose above the America clamor with words we will never forget
March 16, 2011
| By T.A. Frail
The museum collections house many items from the Civil War, including photographs, uniforms and personal diaries
March 04, 2011
| By Smithsonian.com
Twenty-five years ago, President Reagan minced no words when he talked about the Libyan dictator
March 02, 2011
| By T.A. Frail
John Ross and Major Ridge tried diplomatic and legal strategies to maintain autonomy, but the new president had other plans
March 2011
| By Brian Hicks
Newsrooms may look different today, but their need for speed never wavers
March 2011
| By Michael Shapiro
In Tahiti and Botswana
March 2011
| By Carey Winfrey
Vanderbilt professor Daniel Sharfstein discusses the history of the imprecise definition of race in America
February 18, 2011
| By T.A. Frail
The famous historian's eyewitness accounts of the Navy during World War II—now being reissued—won't be surpassed
February 2011
| By James D. Hornfischer
Seeing everyday experience in a new light
February 2011
| By Terence Monmaney
Even Honest Abe needed a symbol to sum up his humble origins
February 2011
| By Owen Edwards
The forward pass was once ridiculed by college football’s powerhouse teams only to be proved wrong by Pop Warner and his Indians
December 28, 2010
| By Jim Morrison
And when to curtail them
January 2011
| By Carey Winfrey
For the past 50 years, the commander in chief has steadily expanded presidential power, particularly in foreign policy
January 2011
| By Robert Dallek
The presidential historian reflects on the expansion of power in the Oval Office from Kennedy to Obama
January 20, 2011
| By Megan Gambino
A bizarre encounter between the president and the king of rock and roll
December 2010
| By Peter Carlson
In his journey from surveyor to soldier to leader, our first president used cartography to get a feel for the young nation
November 16, 2010
| By John Hanc
Impossible dreams and heavenly causes
December 2010
| By Carey Winfrey
Historian Adam Goodheart discusses the tumultuous period between Lincoln’s election and the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter
November 15, 2010
| By Brian Wolly
November 01, 2010 | By Megan Gambino
Accounts of the 1876 battle have focused on Custer's ill-fated cavalry. But a new book offers a take from the Indian's point of view
November 2010
| By Thomas Powers
In 1830, a brutal crime in Massachusetts riveted the nation—and inspired the writings of Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne
November 2010
| By E.J. Wagner
While not as memorable or studied as presidential campaigns, the midterm elections also stand as pivotal moments in U.S. history
October 14, 2010
| By T.A. Frail
Botched battles and preconceptions overturned
November 2010
| By Carey Winfrey
When stars like Derek Jeter ask to customize their baseball bat, Chuck Schupp makes sure they get what they want
October 05, 2010
| By Jim Morrison
Winding its way through Appalachia, the scenic road is the result of workers and politicians who blazed the trail in the 1930s
September 16, 2010
| By Jim Morrison
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National Treasures
The stories behind famous objects from the Smithsonian's collection
The stories behind famous objects from the Smithsonian's collection
The Tucker Was the 1940s Car of the Future
The World’s Most Famous Filing Cabinet
The Tacky History of the Pink Flamingo
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Document Deep Dives
A close look at documents that changed history
A close look at documents that changed history
Document Deep Dive: What Was on the First SAT?
Harry Truman’s Adorable Love “List” to His Wife, Bess
Document Deep Dive: Rosa Parks’ Arrest Records
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